StoreMaster by SCR

HARDWARE

  Computer
       Any computer capable of running DOS, Windows, or Linux
       i.e., PC-type (386 or better), MAC, Alpha, etc.
       Minimum 2MB Memory
       1 Parallel, 1 Serial Port minimum (recommend 2 each)
       Floppy Disk Drive, HD (1.2M 5.25" or 1.44M 3.5")
       Hard Disk Drive, Minimum 20MB FREE.

  Monochrome or Color CRT (Color recommended)

  Printer
       80-column printer for reports, statements, invoices;
       Dot Matrix or Laser; if you will be printing bar
       codes, Laser printer is much faster, and will give
       superior results.

       40-column printer for receipts (OPTIONAL)

  Cash Drawer (OPTIONAL)
       Can be connected to free serial port or to receipt
       printer; connection to printer is recommended.

  Bar Code Scanner (OPTIONAL)
       Wand, Laser pistol, CCD pistol, in-counter laser,
       on-counter laser are supported; recommend using
       "keyboard wedge" type for greater flexibility;
       must be able to read UPC and/or EAN/JAN, CODE 3 of 9
       also recommended.

  Customer Display (OPTIONAL)
       Required in some states, check with local authorities.

       NEWS: Mike Moore (see EBAY) is working with a designer
       to create a Customer Display for $100 instead of the
       $200-400 they cost from most suppliers! We hope to be
       able to announce the release of this product soon!

  Credit Card Reader (OPTIONAL)
       If you do a large amount of sales with credit cards,
       and you are either capturing the credit card numbers
       or want to do on-line authorization using the
       computer, this is recommended.  The "keyboard wedge"
       interface is best, especially if you are using a
       barcode scanner - one wedge can run both the scanner
       and the credit card reader!

  Electronic Scale (OPTIONAL)
       If you weigh lots of items at the point of sale, this
       can be a real time-saver.

  Electronic Changemaker (OPTIONAL)
       This is an interesting piece of equipment. These things
       are EXPENSIVE - around $800. Personally, I always thought
       of them as a waste. I've changed my mind, because first,
       there are so few people who can make change anymore, and
       second, a recent client showed me that they actually pay
       for themselves, literally! He keeps a can under the counter
       and when people forget their change and walk out before he
       can catch them, he dumps it in the can. He showed me $3.82
       in his can the day we put the change machines in (they were
       on his old register system, and the manufacturer sold us a
       serial port for them so the PC could "talk" to them). He
       said that was about average, that he had at least $2.00
       in the can at the end of the day every day, and sometimes
       up to $5.00 or $6.00 - and so, yes, it literally pays for
       itself in about a year... besides making change more accurate
       and easier to count out at the end of the day.

  Modem (OPTIONAL)
       If you want to be able to access your store's
       computer from a central headquarters, warehouse,
       home, or other location, you will need a modem and
       software (see below).  Having a modem will also allow
       you to call up our Web Site and get your updates,
       support, free software add-ons, usage tips, and
       exchange messages with other users.  Also, we can
       provide online support direct to your computer via
       the modem.

       A dedicated phone line for modem: is it necessary?
       Well, not absolutely, but it can save a lot of
       trouble. If you DON'T have a separate line (not used
       other than for modem), you will have conflicts: you
       will want to call out, but the line is being used;
       you will want to call in, but the line gets answered
       by the fax machine or a human, and so on.  Our advice
       is to get a phone line that is for the modem's use
       only.

  Tape Backup (OPTIONAL)
       See below, under Supplies.

  Surge Protector / Backup Power Supply (OPTIONAL)
       This is recommended strongly! Power surges can damage
       your computer, and there's nothing more frustrating
       than having the power go off or low for 2 seconds and
       having to re-enter a 30-item ticket, or being in the
       middle of a report and having to start over.


SOFTWARE

   Operating System: DOS 3.3 or higher, Windows, Linux
                     (other Unix available on special order)

   PC Anywhere (OPTIONAL)
       We have used PC Anywhere for more than ten years,
       and find it far superior to other similar products in
       ease of use, price, and overall functionality.  You
       can use it to answer the phone so you can call it
       from outside the store and send or receive data or
       take control of the computer and run any program on
       it or just watch what's going on.  We use it to call
       your store to provide hands-on support, send updates.

   Credit Card Authorization (OPTIONAL)

   Barcode Printing (OPTIONAL)


SUPPLIES

   DISKS
       You will need disks for making backups (unless you're
       using a tape backup system).  Our software includes backup
       and restore capability for floppy and ZIP disks.  Tape
       backup systems are all different, and they provide their
       own software for saving and restoring files.

   PAPER
       For reports, plain 8.5 x 11" paper will do. Most of
       our reports are formatted for 80 columns, and those
       that are wider take advantage of the printer's
       ability to use compressed print to fit 130 columns on
       8" wide paper.

       For statements and invoices, you can use plain paper
       or special forms, with or without pre-printed text
       and logos, and special forms can be any size that
       fits your printer, since you can define the exact
       layout of data being printed.

   LABELS
       If you will be printing mailing labels, stock labels,
       or shelf tags, you will need a supply of labels.
       Most common sizes and layouts (1 to 4 across) can be
       accommodated by the system as long as they fit in
       your printer.

   TAPES
       If you are using a tape backup, make sure you have
       enough tapes to do the backups regularly.  We
       recommend at least a weekly backup, or daily if you
       have large volume sales.  If you are doing a weekly
       backup, use five tapes - one for each week and one
       for the end of the month; for daily backups, keep
       eight tapes, one for each day and one for the month.
       Backing up every day on just one tape is dangerous:
       if your computer's hard disk gets sick, it usually
       doesn't show up for several days, and if you do have
       to restore from a backup tape, sometimes yesterday's
       tape has the same bad data on it.  This applies to
       floppy disk backups, too!